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Letter: Gimse editorial was petty

What a petty and partisan editorial. The newspaper, displaying its usual liberal bias, wants to blame the problems in the bonding bill on Sen. Joe Gimse. I didn't know that the fate of Minnesota, Kandiyohi County or Willmar rested solely on the shoulders of Gimse.

While the newspaper is correct in its statement, "The capital investment bonding bill hurt Willmar and Kandiyohi County," it should have stopped there and skipped its liberal tantrum about politics in St. Paul. The newspaper would condemn Gimse for not getting the Vets Home approved in the Senate portion of the bonding bill while applauding Rep. Al Juhnke for passage in the House.

Let's look at the reality of politics in St. Paul. Gimse has to fight with liberals who hold him responsible for ousting Dean Johnson. He is not their favorite Republican; they do him no favors. Juhnke however has the support of fellow Democrats. In addition he has the benefit of a committee chairmanship and seniority. Metro Democrats play nice with Juhnke, until push comes to shove between metro vs. rural issues in the political arena.

If the newspaper wants Gimse to have more clout and seniority in the Senate he can help by endorsing him for a second term. Where is the newspaper's criticism for our local economic development commission and its lobbyist hired specifically because they had the pull with Sen. Larry Pogemiller, Rep. Margaret Kelleher and other liberals in St Paul? When we look at the results, neither legislator had the support of their party.

Either way we didn't get a vets home or the upgrades to Ridgewater. It is time for people in rural Minnesota to realize that the metro will control politics and our future. Remember this when choosing the next person you vote for governor. Evaluate your vote not just on the basis of liberal or conservative but also on their rural vs. metro backgrounds.

As Juhnke said, "At the end of the day, members, it is partisan petty politics in the back rooms of the Capitol."

I will agree with Juhnke's statement and add that it was a partisan and petty editorial.